FITCHBURG - A program supported by six local organizations will
offer jobs this summer to 83 at-risk youths and young adults ages 14-21.

The North Central Massachusetts Workforce Investment Board,
Employment Links Inc., Montachusett Opportunity Council, Mount Wachusett
Community College, LUK Inc. and My Turn Inc. will offer a summer jobs
program for youths and young adults in the Fitchburg, Leominster and
Gardner area. Participants will work with area businesses, nonprofit
agencies and municipalities to find jobs.

To qualify for the state-funded program, participants must meet
income eligibility criteria. Youths who qualify for the free lunch
program in school are automatically eligible. Preference will be given
to youth with at-risk factors, including: those who have a history of
juvenile delinquency or membership in a gang, poor academic performance
or are a high school dropout; are involved with alcohol or substance
abuse; are or have been homeless; have aged out or are close to being
aged out of foster care; are the child of a single working parent; lack
fluency in English; or are an immigrant or a teen parent.

Of the 83 people accepted into the Summer Youth Works program in
the region, Montachusett Opportunity Council will help to employ 53;
Mount Wachusett Community College will help 16; the city of Gardner will
work with four; LUK Inc. will work with five; and the Career Center will
work with five.

The program will provide participants up to 30 hours of employment
for five to 12 weeks this summer. They will be paid $8 per hour.
Employers are responsible to pay for six of the 30 hours.

Young to speak on gay liberation

ATHOL - Allen Young of Royalston will give a brief talk and sign
books Tuesday night at the closing event of this year's Gay and
Lesbian Pride movie and book series in "the back corner" at
Bruce's Browser, 1497 Main St., Athol.

The program, which includes time for questions and discussion,
begins at 7 p.m. It is open to the public and is free.

Mr. Young will speak about the early years of the gay liberation
movement launched after the June 1969 Stonewall Rebellion in New York
City. He became a gay activist at that time and is co-editor, with Karla
Jay, of the 1970s books "Out of the Closet: Voices of Gay
Liberation" and "Lavender Culture," by New York
University Press. He has also written and edited several books of local
interest.

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